Practical Astronomy

Catalog description

Course introduces astronomy. Content includes historical development of astronomy, solar system and planetary motion, physics of motion, electromagnetic radiation and astronomical instruments, stars and stellar evolution, galaxies, the big bang, and cosmology. Laboratory activities include operation of telescopes, observation of solar system and deep sky objects, sky charts, and use of computer-based planetarium software. Credit toward graduation cannot be received in both ATR 120 (formerly PHY 120) and ATR 115 (formerly PHY 115).